Parking and School-Zone Rules Change on Six St. Thomas Streets

St. Thomas council has passed a by-law that changes parking on five city streets and updates the slow-down times in one school zone.

By-law 135-2026 passed at council’s October 5th meeting, according to the meeting minutes the City has now posted. It amends the City’s Traffic and Parking By-law. It follows a staff report council received on September 21st, when council directed that the by-law be written to match the report’s recommendations.

Most of the changes started as requests sent to the City through its customer service portal, the report says. Staff checked those spots and backed the changes for safety and visibility reasons. The school-zone change came from staff themselves, after school bell times shifted. The John Street change came from council, which asked staff in June to look at parking there.

Here is what changes, street by street.

South Edgeware Road, near Lockes Public School

The reduced 40 km/h speed zone in front of Lockes Public School gets new times. It will now apply on school days from:

• 8:20 to 9:30 a.m.
• 11:05 to 11:55 a.m.
• 1:45 to 2:30 p.m.
• 3:00 to 4:10 p.m.

The report says most Thames Valley District School Board schools changed their start and end times slightly. City staff have already adjusted crossing guard schedules to match. The speed zone needed a by-law change.

Queen Street

No parking at any time on the west side, from Talbot Street to Centre Street. That is the block in front of Indwell’s The Station. Staff found the road is not wide enough for parked cars, given how much traffic Queen Street carries.

Manitoba Street

No parking at any time on the east side, from Barwick Street to the north end of the street. Staff found the street is too narrow for cars parked on both sides while still letting people get in and out of their driveways.

Scott Street crossovers

No stopping at any time near two pedestrian crossovers, one at East Street and one at Hiawatha Street. The ban covers 15 metres before each crossover and 10 metres after it, on the east leg of Scott Street at East Street and the west leg at Hiawatha Street. Staff said cars were parking too close to the crossovers. That made it harder to see out of the side streets, and harder for people using the crossovers to see traffic.

Fifth Avenue

No parking at any time on the west side, for the first 15 metres north of Hemlock Street. Site checks and by-law enforcement records showed cars kept parking too close to the corner, blocking the view.

John Street

This one adds parking. The staff report calls for three new on-street spaces at the south end of John Street, under the City’s five-hour on-street parking rule. Staff found room for them without causing problems for fire exits or sightlines. Until now, parking was banned on the whole west side of John Street. On the east side, it was banned from the Legion driveway to Talbot Street, except for one two-hour space.

A proposed layout for the Upper St. Catharines lot

The same report also proposes a new layout for the Upper St. Catharines Parking Lot. The Stationview Child Care Centre at 25 St. Catharines Street has ten drop-off spaces there. The report says that because of provincial rules that started in September 2025, child care staff have been parking in those drop-off spaces. In an early-August review, City staff saw parents using permit spaces at the back of the building while dropping off children.

The YMCA, which runs the building, is putting in bollards and bringing back the drop-off spaces on the north side. Staff also talked with the Legion about its parking needs. The proposed layout is meant to work for both while keeping public parking in the lot. That layout is not listed in the by-law.

What council said

When council dealt with the report on September 21st, members spoke of their appreciation for the ongoing work on parking and talked about the Legion’s thanks for the changes.

One councillor asked about Curtis Street. A City staff member said the City investigates parking requests that come through its customer service portal. If a change is supported for safety or sightline reasons, staff bring it back to council, which happens regularly through the year.

The report says the cost fits within the Environmental Services operating budget. It does not say when the new signs will go up.

Earlier coverage: St. Thomas Adds Two School Crossing Guards Under New Safety Rules

Sources: Report ES-54-26, Parking Control for Upper St. Catharine Lot and Various Locations (September 21, 2026) · Council minutes, October 5, 2026 · Council minutes, September 21, 2026

By Anthony Zruna · About the LocVox Newsroom